Shreyas Iyer likely to miss India’s ODI series against New Zealand: Report

The ODI series between India and New Zealand is all set to start from January 11 in Vadodara. The 3-match ODI series will be followed by the T20Is before the teams will head towards the T20 World Cup 2026. Amidst the excitement of the series, the Men in Blue are likely to receive a huge blow as middle order batter Shreyas Iyer is set to miss the 3-match series. 

Iyer, who was injured during the ODI series against Australia, is recovering from the injury. As per the recent updates, he batted in Mumbai, went to CoE for recovery. But he has lost around 6 kgs weight and has gained some recently. While Iyer's batting is not an issue, his recovery is taking time and the muscles mass has also decreased. Hence, the board doesn't want to take any risk with the cricketer. 

“There is no problem with his batting, but he lost around six kgs after the injury in Australia. While he has regained some weight, there has been a drop in his muscle mass, which has further affected his strength levels. The medical team will not be taking any chances because he is a very important player in the ODI setup, and his complete recovery is of utmost importance right now. The selectors and management will be conveyed about his present situation before they meet to pick team for New Zealand ODIs,” a BCCI official told Times of India.

Will only be available from the knockout stages: MCA official

Shreyas Iyer was expected to play in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025 but couldn't because of his muscle mass and recovery. As per an MCA official, Iyer will now be available for the knockout stages of the tournament. He is likely to get clearance around January 9. 

“There were a lot of positive developments as he batted in Mumbai, went to CoE and was pushing himself to feature in the New Zealand ODIs. There were indications of him playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches on January 3 and 6, too, but we have now been told that he needs more time and will only be available from the knockout stages of the tournament,” an MCA official tracking the development let the Times of India know.

Where to watch India vs New Zealand match?

Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs New Zealand 1st ODI match on January 11 online on JioHotstar, via OTTplay Premium.

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